ife of Thomas, being the only sponsor. At this time Captain Barry was
cruising in the West Indies. Judith, "the slave of Captain John Barry,"
an adult, was also baptised on August 19, 1779.

In the "Delaware" Captain Barry made two cruises to Port-au-Prince. Of
his first voyage no record has been discovered, but of his second there
is sufficient in the account given by his Mate, John Kessler. The
"Delaware" sailed on its second cruise in the fall of 1779 in company
with three other Letter-of-Marque brigs and one schooner. Of this fleet
Captain Barry was made Commodore. He was always so appointed whenever
two or more vessels were assigned to one cruise or expedition in which
he engaged. When abreast of Cape Henlopen the British sloop-of-war the
"Harlem," with eighty-five men and fourteen four-pounders, was taken
without resistance, though the officers escaped in boats after heaving
overboard all the guns.

The "Harlem" was sent to Philadelphia. The crew was delivered to the
militia at Chincopague. Captain Barry reported to the owners that "the
commanders in our little fleet are very complaisant and obliging to each
other." That the "Harlem" had fourteen four-pounders and eighty-five
men. The guns and other things were thrown overboard without firing a
shot. The Captain, with ten men, went off in a whale-boat, "but,"
reported Captain Barry, "we have reason to think, is since overset." The
prisoners were taken out, a prize crew put on board, the "Harlem" sent
to Philadelphia and the men landed at Sinipaxan, Virginia, as they were
too many to keep with safety on board the little fleet. "We have every
reason in the world to think we shall catch more before long," reported
Barry. The "Harlem" was "a fine vessel and had been a cruiser since the
enemy took New York, but at present she is much out of tune," he added.

Of the rest of the voyage out and home nothing specially noteworthy
occurred except that a merchant ship from Liverpool was captured and
later retaken by the noted Goodrich and carried into Bermuda.

During the war there was often contention between the commanders of the
Continental and those of the States' service. The Continentals, when in
need of men, often impressed the seamen of the States' fleet and also
those of merchant vessels. On Captain Barry's return to the Delaware
River the Continental frigate "Confederacy" lay at Chester. She had been
impressing the crews of merchant vessels coming up the river. Th